Improved hopple for horses and other animals



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT N. EAGLE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVED HOPPLE FOR HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,100, dated April 7, 1863.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ROBERT NELsoNEAGLE, of the city and county of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hopples for Fettering Horses, Mules, Horned Cattle, and

other Animals; and I do `hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan of my improved hopple, whereof A represents one leg-band, A the otherleg-band, and D the connecting chain or strap. Fig. 2 isa side view of one leg-band when buckled or fastened on. Fig. 3 is a view of the same opened. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are other views, illustrating the mode ot' applying this hopple to animals.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

My invention consists in an improved construction of hopples for fettering horses, mules, horned cattle, and other animals, the said hopples being adapted for attachment to any two legs of the animal, or for connecting different animals together, and so applied as to prevent friction, as will hereinafter be more fully explained.

Theimproved hopples may be applied either above or below the hook or knee, or below the fetlock, but are especially designed for attachment above the knee, which mode possesses various advantages, some of which will lbe set forth in the sequel.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may be enabled 'fully to understand and use the same, I will animal.

B B represent metallic bars, formed or furnished with flanges b b, by or through which said bars may be riveted on or secured to the bands A A.

C C are rings, which slide freely on the bars B B.

D represents a strap, cord, or chain of any suitable length connecting the rings C C.

The leg-bands, of any desired width, may be made from leather, india-rubber, guttapercha, cotton, hemp, or woolen fabrics, felt, or a combination of such, or any suitable material, and be connected by straps or thongs of leather, rope, or chain, or by any contrivance that will allow of variation in length. The said bands A A may be ilat or convex on their inner sides, so as more eifectually to prevent chafing of the leg, and the flanges b b and buckle a be formed to correspond and fit the transverse concavity of the outer surface of the band.

The length of the bars B B may be varied in accordance with the size of the animals leg, so as to permit the necessary latitude or horizontal play for the rings C C, thus obviating the necessity for the least movement of the band itself upon the leg. The bars B B may be of any desired arch, and curved to correspond with the form of the leg around which the band A passes, and the leather under said bars also bent and adapted to this curvature before being riveted or iiually secured in position upon the band by the flanges b b. By this means the band is exactly fitted to the convexity of the leg, and serves as an additional security against the band shifting or moving about upon the leg. The inner surface ofthe band may also be padded throughout to prevent chafing, or have vertical puffs or rolls introduced or applied on their inner surface, and in such places and positions as to liit and fill the cavities between the bones 'and tendons of the leg.

The bars B B may be made of wrought or malleable iron, steel, or other' suitable material, and so applied that when the band is in position said bar will come upon the inner side of the leg, with the buckleor fastening upon the opposite or outer side, this being the ,with or in any lother. req-u'iredidirection `infreference to each other. or with the band itself. The bars B B may be arched, as already shown, or be constructed-straight, orvcurved in any horizontal or vertical direction, or be formed and applied in sections of lengths,rin stead of in one length, and beplaced anywhere upon the bands, and be secured to the same otherwise 4Ithan in `the manner, above shown, 4by rivets through the ,angesb vb+as, for instance, by wiring Vor stitchingitfonwith threadsor'thongs. The rings `or loops GV` C may be-.soconstructed as to, work in a slot,.-instead of-.;sliding along the bars B B.

. Inf Ian apparatus =ot the. kindL described. all vunnecessary .weight is avoided, while the animal .is so 4ccmpletelyrnnder controlthat .but littlestrength is required in its construction, and. similar ,hopples vbeing alsov safelyattached to the hind legsfand Worn at the same time with those upon the fore legs Without. interfering with the natural `motionof the limbs, the restrainst is thereby only renderedfstill :more eiiectual.

- Some .of the advantages attained lbyapplyingzhopples .to the legs of an, animal above illelmee instead fof below*theafetlockware, first, that a greater degree, oftpowenisfsecured over the. animal iwhile ,in motion ;..sec

ond, that the increase ,or dim-inutioubf .this 4poWeror restraining forcemay be effected With- .out injury to the lim-bsor gaits of the animal, or hindering VVthenatural,;.and consequently necessary, motion of his limbs; thirdly, that .less constraint-is imposed.A vupon hislimbsv or in the lnaturalness ot their .positionwhilein repose; hencev a lropple,.at once easy ,ofad- 4justment, immovable under all circumstances iii-its position'. upon the legs,.simpleand.eco nomic-al in its constructiomfree lromthe` fau-lt .,ot'...ch;atng and. `sand-scaldinlg,,yetwithahY allowingkofA 2a natural. motion nto. the limbs VWithout .compromising that` greater :or:4 less degree ,of restraint so desirable'. in.` the use ofl such .an appendage, has long beena des-ideratumnot ,onlyofhorse equipage :iny mil-itaryserviceabut ranging his "gaits,7j especially that of the -gallop, which it contracts, as by long use ofthe hopples below the fetlock the animal is inclined to gallop off with his fore feet more together than is proper or which the natural gait allows. Again, hopples of ordinary construction,unless rendered secure from chaiin g by means of pads and other contrivances,

which vastly increase both the weight and its lcostor construction, bring irremediable sores .through the hide, leaving the. bcastlamc.

Another objection isthaty theanimal is .often checked ortripped by. snags `of roots, fallen ybranches,.bria-rs, points .of rocks and stones,

or otherirregularitics of the` ground, which v.are caught by the .5 connectingfstrap. and

must,v..of course, be ,more .orlessexhausting Vto .theestrength of theanimal, accordingto thefrequency of .such efforts, than if he were ,abletofstep over the obstacle and'` no connectin g-strap interfered. Again, in lying down @orrising up most animals.requirejtheuse of their knees, and' when the-ihoppleis, attached tothe fetlocks =or belowthem .they are forced in rising, first, to lay `backduponftheir haunch'es;next, tospring -forward their ,fore

feet,` with legs. .stretched ,out totheirutmost,

21nd,., finally, from this. angle of position, to

vlrise by a. sudden plunge forward-lallot'which 1.must Astrain the back .more lthan if they ywere able to rise by degrees and with @the .assistance of the knees .and .haunchesdrawn in tosupport them. -Finally, the ,usev offthe Afeetandlcgs below the `knees is .required in i .stanlping?? during the fly season, aswell las; in supporting the .body While the.. animal is performing the frequent motions ,of assistin g Athetail in `removing'the annoyance, .with fthextongue and teeth at, their sidesand even rearmost extremities,and hence, if the hopple is. lattached to the feet,'the curvature of kthe body has to be made-.without the, under props `.or support .of straddled legs.

` Inaddition tofthe hopple. above described, L propose to-construct another class, intended .especially forsgaiting animals, and to which .jt-will be Anecessaryto attach', infaddition to 'the bars B B, fixed 'staples to the rear .ofthe said barson the forefleg bandsandto the front ,oflthezbars on .the rearfleg bands,l although I Ldo, ynot. restrict ,myself ,to lthe number or position of these ixed staples, whether upony .the

. front `or hind leg -hopples.

`llaving thus described my inventionand a Way of carrying it into effect, I wish it distinotly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise arrangement or details herein laid down, but propose to vary the same, as experience may prove to be desirable, without departing from the essential features of the invention.

What I claim as new7 and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

Constructing hopples for fettering animals with bars B B, adapted to permit a limited motion of the attached ends of the strap or oord D independently of the leg-band, and without turning or slipping the latter.

R. N. EAGLE.

NVitnesses:

OCTAVIUS KNIGHT, R. H. MAYHEW. 

